Missing Piece
by angel-with-a-scythe
Summary: Erol/Jak, Torn/Jak The Dark Warrior project did more to Jak than just give him powers. Addictions are the only thing keeping Jak sane, and he keeps falling deeper into the darkness. Just when things are getting better, Erol shows up... Ch 3 up!
1. Addiction

Scythe: Hello all, welcome to the first installment of Missing Piece. I hope this idea turns you all on as much as it did for me, and I hope I can convey my idea well enough so that you can picture each scene perfectly. This story is meant to go DEEP into Jak's Psyche. PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS.

Please R&R as it helps me greatly. Flames will not be tolerated and most likely deleted.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any character from the Jak and Daxter trilogy games, I am not getting any profit from this, and it is written purely for the enjoyment of others... and myself. ;)

This story is set sometime randomly in Jak 2... it may possibly continue in an epilogue to Jak 3 if it all goes well...

WARNINGS (but don't let these scare you off): **This story goes deeply into the PSYCHE of Jak**. Yaoi/slash/shonen-ai, whatever you call it. Don't like it? Why are you reading this? Erol/Jak, Torn/Jak (somewhat one sided), adult themes like mentions of rape, violence, language, SEX, blah blah blah...

OOOOOOOO

**Chapter 1 – The addiction**

It was pitch black in the Underground headquarters. Everyone had long since gone to bed and even the incessant jabbering of Orange Lightening had been silenced by the grips of sleep. It was the only time that anyone could really rest, nowadays; when the Baron and the Underground were at an impasse of strength and wits and could not surpass each other. Thus, they both settled for regrouping which gave everyone some rest.

To Jak, rest unsettled him. He felt as though he never slept, and when he did it brought night terrors of things he'd experienced, people he'd killed, and things he had never even seen before. It was something no one knew about except his trusted friend Daxter. His furry, orange friend had always wondered how Jak stayed so healthy and fit on the outside, when he was dying and sleep deprived on the inside, though they had both attributed it to the fact that he'd been experimented on and the Dark Eco had somehow made his body much, much more durable. He slept so little, in fact, that even when everyone was asleep, he would take a walk or patrol or go to a bar and try to quell the whisper in his head or the restlessness in his bones.

Or he'd find Torn. Torn was the only other person who knew about the night terrors, who understood them and assured him they would cease eventually. Though he could never completely silence the whispers and the strange urges—the _need_—to feel alive, Torn was a temporary fix.

Their breath was the only thing, hushed, in the night that could be heard as clothing trailed to Torn's bed from the open doorway from the Underground main hall. The panting and shuffling of movement grew slightly louder as Torn moved his hand away from Jak's mouth for a moment to pull the hero's hips closer for a better angle. Jak grunted softly, resting his forehead on the side of his arm as his fingers tightened around the cool sheets, another hand gripping the bed post for support as he steadily rocked back to meet Torn's advances. Without warning, he was suddenly shoved down from all fours, a hand on the back of his head forcing his face into the soft sheets. Jak closed his eyes, moaning softly with the increased friction. Deep within him, the Beast that so constantly plagued him was quieted and his mind was finally open to some peace. It felt good; the dominance and roughness that Torn used always eased some of the restlessness within him. It quieted the Beast that roared within him, even if only for a few hours, but for this Jak was grateful.

He didn't quite understand this part of him that wanted nothing more than to live and feel alive. It felt as if something within him was hollow and it needed to be filled. The hole began to form one he had escaped from the Baron and only seemed to get bigger with the passing of time. When his heart was racing and the thrill of a life or death situation was presented to him, he felt somewhat whole; more so than he had since he'd gotten here. Racing was always something he was good at and fond of, but now it served as more of an addiction since it was the closest thing to being whole he'd felt since he'd gotten free... Until he and Torn began their mutual, physical relationship, that is. Now this was his addiction.

He had tried the conventional ways of getting a high other than life and death situations like drinking, women, and drugs. Even EcoVent, the ever popular drug that was circling around the city, had only quelled his need for a week before it was no longer enough. E.V. had strange effects on people that they hadn't really had on him, which he attributed to the experimentations with Eco under the Baron's control. Under extended use, people seemed to become mindless and violent, often picked up to join the Krimzon Guard as they did not care whether they lived or died and took easily to orders. Jak had guessed that it was probably a ploy by the Baron to get more sign ups... It certainly made those annoying kiosks useful to Praxis, brainwashing people with the repeated messages urging them to 'do their duty' and 'earn their freedom'. What a crock of shit.

They lay beside each other, Jak staring up at the ceiling, his mind calm, his heart beating quietly in his ears as Torn pulled him closer in his sleep. He didn't mind the intimacy; in fact he found it comforting, oddly enough. He'd tried dating women, sleeping with women really, but nothing had really given him peace of mind. Somehow, Torn had seen through his tough warrior exterior and had one day presented him with a question that no one had ever asked him. Needless to say it sent Jak reeling, shattering his calm exterior with a moment of panic that had given Torn all he needed for an advance.

But now he was thankful for that day. If Torn had not seen through him, they wouldn't be where they were today: Beast quieted and pleasure fulfilled. Jak took a moment to look up at Torn's sleeping face. He was very attractive, he reflected, as his eyes traveled down his delicious looking neck to his toned chest. He couldn't help but reach out and touch it, letting one finger slide down the smooth skin to his flat stomach where his hand decided to rest. There was a soft huff from Torn as his eyes flickered open and turned to meet Jak's deep blue gaze.

The faintest flicker of a tired smile graced his lips as he pulled Jak into a lusty kiss. He returned it willingly, and then pulled himself away from the man, sitting up with a swing of legs over the edge and rubbing his face gently.

"Leaving already?" Torn asked, his voice raspy and deep. His voice was something the blonde had come to greatly desire, especially when it was calling out his name with such passionate need. Just the thought of it sent butterflies to his stomach. He was still for a moment, but he turned and gave the red head an apologetic smile.

"You know I have to. The sun will rise soon..." It was true. No one knew about their relationship, and they kept it tightly under wraps, so Jak often left before sunrise to go wherever it was he went. Torn knew it was rare he went back to his own room...

"Where are you going?" He asked, nonchalant as he shoved himself up on one elbow with a small yawn, though Jak caught the slight narrowing of his eyes.

"I'm going to go check up on Dax. He went to the bar last night and he never called, so I'm sure he's passed out." It was a lame excuse, but it was enough to get him out of the building with no more questions asked. Torn was good at keeping his nose out of other people's business but it seemed that, lately, he was asking more questions than usual.

Fully dressed now, Jak said his goodbye, Torn stealing one more kiss from his soft lips before rolling over and waving him off. Jak stared at his muscled back for one lingering moment before closing the door softly and leaving the Underground.

He took a deep breath once he got outside, shoving his hands into his pockets. The air was stale and smelled of decomposing buildings and dying life. It was not like fresh, delicious air of sunny Sandover that he remembered, but it was as fresh as you could get in this city.

Pulling himself up onto the single person zoomer parked out front, his mind automatically went through the city layouts to get the quickest way possible to the bar. Typically, he sped through the city with a mission to get somewhere or do something, but today, his trip was leisurely and slow as he reflected.

He wondered if there would ever be a time when the emptiness inside of him would be filled, or if he would have live forever with a strange feeling of apathy and insanity constantly creeping up his psyche.

"Hey, hey, hey!!!" someone shouted at him, and suddenly he jerked his zoomer out of the way as he nearly hit someone coming the opposite way.

"Oops.... sorry..." He called over his shoulder, wincing at the glare he received from the citizen. He shook his head some, turning the corner with a sigh. He needed to pay attention.

The Hip Hog Haven Saloon stunk of alcohol, women, and a hint of bile, as it usually did. Dark blue eyes swept the bar until they came upon a furry, orange animal that lay sprawled out on two women passed out on the floor. He raised a brow, unable to help a small chuckle from emerging from his throat. That Dexter, all he cared about was women... He didn't quite understand it or see what the big deal with them was. Although, he stopped, he could remember a time when he felt the same, staring at Kiera like she was a goddess in elven form.

Shaking the horrible memory of his naivety from his head, he reached out and grabbed the sleeping animal, pulling him from his comfy 'bed' and draping him over his shoulder.

Ah, Dax, the one constant in his life that never gave up on him. Cowardly as he was, he was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. Even when Jak had completely lost faith in him after two years of being experimented on, he proved him wrong and saved him from the Baron's dark warrior program. Kiera had said she'd been looking for them, but how much looking could you do being involved with racing and building a machine to supposedly get them back to their time? He ground his teeth against the memory of their reunion in this time.

The look she had given him... The disgust in her eyes when she laid eyes on him after more then two years of him being gone had made him feel ashamed and even guilty of who he was now. He'd tried to explain in nice words the terrible pain he'd been put through, but all that came out was a pathetic line about it being a tough year. He was new at the whole speaking thing. He was used to conveying his emotions with his body and his face, not with his voice, so his communication was a bit... lacking. He did know, however, that she made him angry... extremely angry. How could anyone be so shallow to base someone on appearance alone? So he hadn't really gotten a hair cut, and he hadn't really shaved, but at least he'd showered, cleaned himself up and kept his hair out of his face with his goggles and scarf. All in all, he felt he was pretty damn stylish. Daxter had always been much better with the outward appearance than he had, and he thought he had chosen well when he had put on the garments given to him at the time of escape. Stylish but practical, that's what Dax had always said.

OOOOOOOO

_Screaming. All anyone could hear was screaming as it echoed through the holding cells. It terrified Jak. He had never known such pain and suffering as he did within these walls. And now it was his turn. Erol was touching him, hurting him, breaking him. Dirty hands felt as if they slithered all over his body. It was hard to believe there was only two when it felt like his whole body was covered in them. Pain; racing through his veins and all along his skin. Blood; dripping on the ground, leaking from where he bit his lip so hard it bled. Who knew there could be so much blood in one tiny lip? The wall was so cold... It was so dark around him. Desire; why was he getting enjoyment out of this? Why was his body reacting in such ways? His body lied! Just like everyone else! Just like Daxter when he said he'd save him before he even knew it. Betrayal... Lust... Addiction in the making._

Jak awoke with a start, panting, eyes wide, pupils constricted and tightened in pain and fear. Just a dream... he tried to assure himself everything was fine. He touched all over his bed to his lamp and flicked it on, sitting up and hanging his head between his shoulders as he slouched in defeat. Another night terror...? And this time about his repeated rape in the Krimzon Guard Fortress? So why did he feel confused this time? He couldn't remember exactly what had happened in the dream, like most of the times he woke in a cold sweat, but he had begun to wake with a sort of confusion. He didn't understand it. Erol... that son of a bitch.

OOOOOOOO

Another typical day in the slums: Torn was sifting through information on the Krimzon Guard plans, intercepting weapons, sending out men to do his dirty work... But there was no Jak. Jak had not returned from his retrieval of his annoying, furry friend and it was making Torn antsy and irritable. It had been happening like this more lately. He was beginning to get a bit possessive of his shorter lover, unable to keep him from intruding his thoughts and constantly wondering where he was. It was no different than how he normally was, though. That man disappeared for days on end doing tasks for himself and others, and he had never cared before, as long as he showed up when called for another task, but now it was bothering him more than he wanted to admit.

Ashelin had stopped by, also wanting to see Jak, and this set him off even more. She had come around a lot more lately, spending time with Jak and asking him to help her on more assignments. Perhaps he was overreacting. The time was nearing for a final battle, everyone could feel it; it was just a matter of time, so naturally she'd need his help more. He stopped in mid thought. Something was wrong with him. He had never _ever_ let his emotions get in the way of his missions and Underground work... Not even when he thought he loved Ashelin. Torn took a deep, steadying breath. Jak was rubbing off on him far too much. This whole thing started simply as a desire and curiosity that needed to be filled from the first day he'd set eyes on the greenish blonde haired youth. Rugged and wild, all he'd wanted to do was tame that rebellious boy in front of him, and now it seemed that it was much the other way around and Jak had him on a leash. Whether it was intentional, which he doubted, or not, it was rather disturbing to him that one so simple as Jak could reel him in so easily.

But was he so simple? Since the first day that he arrived he had known something was different about the boy. He held some sort of powerful and commanding presence that he had never felt with anyone before. It was like a challenge thrown in his face and he had been completely taken in by it, ready to conquer it. However, it has proven to be a challenge indeed. Never had his petty wants conflicted so much with his duty. At some times, he wished that everything was over and that he could steal away with Jak and never return...

OOOOOOOO

Erol stared out and down onto the streets of Haven City from the Palace, eyes searching every little ant that was a person as they crawled meaninglessly around to do their menial tasks. His lip twitched in slight annoyance. Why was he trying so hard to save a people who only destroyed themselves? Why did he serve an incompetent, power hungry fool who only acted upon selfish desires to further his own agenda? Oh, right, because the luxuries here in the palace were far better than the slums below. Alright, so he was also selfish and only wanted to further his own agenda. He snickered at the thought. He and the Baron were really two peas in a pod in the garden of self importance. But how could he give up the riches and power he had for a low life where his safety was hardly guaranteed past his own self defense? He had no faith in the buffoons of the Krimzon Guard who had repeatedly failed him in his orders to bring Jak to him alive.

Oh how he had hated the day when his precious experiment slipped through his fingers like sand.

...

_The dark eco pumped into his little experiment at surprising amounts. Many times he had thought this would be the last treatment and that his prized experiment would die. When the Baron had asked to see the progress they had made, Erol had felt a spike of fear. Recently, their treatments had done nothing anymore, his eco levels remaining the same. Though they had glimpsed the monster that they were hoping to create, the excitement had died when the scientists had deemed him unstable and unable to control his dark side. It was all very bothersome._

_Now, here he was again, watching with hungry eyes as Jak arched and howled in pain as the dark eco was injected into his body. Violet black sparks radiating and coiling out from around his body like a small fireworks display of the best kind. He couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips._

_The dark eco faded, and the machinery lifted away from the lithe body on the table. A computer voice filled the room with the expected status he'd been getting too much lately. _

"_Dark eco injection cycle complete; Bio readings nominal and unchanged."_

"_Hmph. Nothing. I was informed that this one might be different." The Baron said, looking down at Jak, angrily, and then to his Commander expectantly._

_Erol sighed slightly to himself in annoyance before looking up to meet his superior's gaze. "He is surprisingly resistant to your..."experiments," Baron Praxis. I fear the Dark warrior program has failed." There was a moment of silence as the Baron paced for an instant, thinking. One could practically see the anger sparking off of him, almost like the dark eco trails that had sparked off of Jak moments before._

_The Baron suddenly reeled around and growled, grabbing Jak by the hair and forcing his head up. "You should at least be dead with all the dark eco I've pumped into you!" And with that he let his head fall with a familiar thunk, turning again to pace once more._

"_What now?" Erol asked, a little impatient. "Metal Head armies are pressing their attacks. Without a new weapon, my men cannot hold them off forever."_

_Perhaps his impatience was not best acted upon, for the Baron turned to give him such a glare that made even Erol quietly step back._

"_I will not be remembered as the man who lost this city to those vile creatures..." He roared, making Erol step back once again as he advanced. "Move forward with the final plan. And finish off this... "thing" tonight." He liked the sound of that. Erol could definitely take that and twist it to mean whatever he damn well pleased and of course he would take that opportunity. He had been waiting for the moment for the Baron to say these glorious words. It was like a gift from the heavens._

_For so long, Erol had been by his prisoner's side, watching him struggle through eco treatments and watching him prevail every time. His strength intrigued him, taunted him. He wanted to break him. He had never been so excited by such a challenge and his obsession with his nameless experiment grew with every passing moment. _

"_As you wish." He said to his ruler, a plastic smile gracing his lips to appease Praxis. As the Baron turned to leave, he in turn, turned to his little play thing and leaned over him, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him to attention. The man's eyes beneath him flickered slightly as he weakly stared up at his torturer. "I'll be back later," he said with a smirk, giving him a once over with his hungry eyes and then pushing him back down onto the table, briskly walking to catch up with his superior._

_But his promise was lost to the wind, for just minutes after he had left, alarms were sounded and a computerized voice filled the metal walls of the Krimzon Guard Fortress. Though the Baron kept walking, figuring his guards would catch whatever prisoner had escaped, Erol stopped._

_A sinking feeling gathered at the pit of his stomach, weighing him down as time slowed before his eyes. He felt as if he were moving in slow motion or in a dream as he turned and ran through what felt like glue back towards where he'd come. It wasn't possible that Jak could escape with those restraints, but he couldn't help the deep rooted fear of his precious toy slipping from his grasp. Surely it was some other prisoner trying feebly to run from the guards, but he had to be sure; He had to know so that his mind could be at peace and his plans would not be foiled._

_Part of him, though he could not understand why, was deeply attached to his little toy, and it was unlike anything he'd ever felt in his sick, twisted career of the Baron's dirty work. Part of him was undeniably reliant on that face twisted in pain, pleasure, and fear to feel the thrill of power he had come to be so addicted. It was a like his own personal brand of EcoVent._

_He quickly entered the pass code into the pad lock and the door slid open. It seemed all too slow as inch by inch of the room was revealed to show him that his greatest fear had come true. His prisoner had escaped. He ground his teeth so hard he could hear them scraping like metal in his ears as he suppressed and angry, frustrated scream. Whirling around, he quickly snapped orders to the Krimzon Guard to find him and bring him back alive at any cost. He _would_ get him back if it was the last thing he'd do._

...

Erol took in a steadying breath to keep himself from getting angry at the memory. His eyes searched even harder below now, as if spotting his prisoner below would calm him. He had learned soon after that memory that his prisoner's name was Jak, and it made him all the more angry that he could not bring it from the prisoner himself. He had spent months trying to get his name from him. However, he had to smile at one accomplishment. Before and even during the treatments, it appeared their new prisoner had no voice. He could make small sounds, but no words, nothing louder than a peep, but thanks to the treatments and 'private sessions,' his little pet had found a voice, and when he did, Erol was instantly hooked. It was where his addiction had started and rapidly snowballed from.

He'd spent many nights making that voice call out his name, training him to need him. He'd reveled in Jak's attempts to stay quiet and make as little noise possible. He'd reveled in his feeble attempt to meet his gaze with his own, fire filled, rebellious ones. He'd reveled in his pain.

"I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name..." He said as his fingers touched the window, a smirk touching his lips as he ran his tongue along the contours of his smooth teeth, taking enjoyment in some private joke. "You will come to me in time..."

OOOOOOOO

Jak slung his gun onto his back, picking up the skull gems when he saw the coast was clear. Finally, he could go back and take a load off.

"Good work, Jak." He heard Torn's voice over the tiny little intercom that floated next to him. "Destroy the last of the shipment and return to the Underground." And just like that, the intercom was gone and tucked back into... wherever it was that it had come from. He had no idea how that thing worked, but it must have been attached to him somewhere and monitored his process. He couldn't quite wrap his head around it, just like he couldn't quite wrap his head around what his world had become. It was so very technologically advanced and utterly mind boggling. However, he caught on quickly and at least knew how to use everything. Fixing it, though, that was another story.

He quickly finished off the shipment, making his way back to the city walls and, once inside, set off towards the Underground. It was rare that he found himself wanting to celebrate, but for once, he wanted to go out and drink with Daxter and just be himself.

"I like that plan," Daxter said, scurrying around to sit on his other shoulder. "It's been _way_ too long since you let yourself have some fun. I know some ladies who are more than willing to show you a good time, too, eh, Jak? Eh?" Jak just rolled his eyes, but smiled at his friend's enthusiasm. Dax always knew how to make him smile. "Why don't we invite everyone from the Underground, hmm? It'll be like one big party! And finally, that Torn guy can loosen up and take a load off, if you know what I mean."

At the mention of the red head, Jak's world went out on tilt. Though they kept walking and Daxter kept talking, he was lost in thought as the whispers in his head seemed to get just a tad bit louder. Was it already time to see Torn again? It had been weeks since their last 'meeting,' the Underground swamped with work suddenly as the Baron had thought up some crazy new plan that Jak didn't particularly care about. All he wanted to do was get his hands around Praxis's neck... that's all he wanted.

Oh, what he'd do when he got his hands around that porker's neck. The disgusting 'dark warrior' plan was no doubt one of his favorite plans, even though it had failed, and the thought of how many people he killed with the program before he'd found Jak made his blood boil. He felt his anger manifesting itself in the very core of his being crackling and violently churning, waiting for release.

"Uh, Jak... Jak?" Daxter's panicked voice broke through the dark, purple haze of his mind and brought him to. He looked at his hands, blueish white skin and black claws fading away as he calmed.

"Er... Sorry about that." Jak said sheepishly.

"What's up with you, huh buddy? Thinking about Praxis again?" Daxter asked, tilting his orange head when their eyes met.

"Yeah... I just... I get so angry when I think about everyone who had to go through what I went through. That... that _bastard_ doesn't even understand!" Violet and black crackled through the air for an instant with his outburst and Daxter stared at him, almost in fear.

"Yeesh, you really do need a night off big boy. It's about time we cash in some favors with Krew, don't you think? Free drinks are the least he could do!"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you, but we've got to check in with Torn first, remember?"

"Eck, don't remind me."

OOOOOOOO

They arrived quicker than usual to the Underground, just as the sun was setting. Daxter ran off to take care of some other business and make sure everything was a go at the Hip Hog Haven Saloon, which left Torn and Jak to themselves. They sat in silence as Torn wrote on some files, marking some as completed and others as in progress. Jak could only guess that they were mission reports and plans. The whole process of being in charge was a little complicated and boring to him. He couldn't imagine himself doing petty paper work and filing reports and reading reports and... ugh, it was exhausting just to think about it. In that sense, he had to admire Torn for his determination and organization skills. Kiera had told him that he'd needed to learn some way back in Sandover one time. He didn't understand at the time, but now he did, even if he still couldn't really do it himself.

"Where'd the fur ball go?" Torn's voice was suddenly right next to his ear. He turned to meet his gaze, his eyes flicking to the door momentarily.

"Out. He's making preparations for some... _thing_ tonight. I'm not quite sure. He's headed to Krew's."

"Hm..." Torn didn't seem to like the answer. "Doing more of his selfish tasks, are we?" Jak stared at him for a moment. Was he really hearing this?

"What business is it of yours? And no, for your information, we're just going out to have a few drinks tonight." Jak said abrasively. He was easy irritable today and Torn wasn't helping. Torn didn't take the bait, rolling his eyes.

"Don't go AWOL on me, we need you in the morning, got it?" Torn stared him down. Jak felt the need to assert himself, growling slightly at him. Torn acted as if he owned him, just because he was part of a greater cause didn't mean he should be treated as if he could be tamed. The air gently crackled between them, but Torn didn't move.

But wasn't that what he liked? Wasn't that what he seemed to need lately; someone or something to tame the wild Beast within him? His anger instantly died. He sighed and Torn pulled him into an embrace.

"You seem a little tense..." He said, concerned, and gently nudged his hair with his nose. It smelled of the sea and trees and reminded him of sunshine. He never knew how Jak could smell so impossibly intoxicating even after a long day of fighting. And unlike others, he didn't pick up the stench of this city.

"I guess so..." He replied, frowning a bit and leaning into the man. "I'm just having a bad day." And they left it at that, pulling apart from each other and looking into each other's eyes.

The urge to kiss Jak was overwhelming. His eyes drew him in like no one else's. They could be such a soft, light blue at one moment, or dark and violent blue the next according to his mood. In that way, Torn often associated Jak's eyes with the sea, tossing and turning with his emotions and just as expressive; a sea at which he was lost without a paddle, not knowing which way led back to safety.

He closed the distance between them, pulling Jak closer. His companion didn't resist, letting the taller man assert his dominance in such a simple way. Perhaps the reason Jak was so enthralled by being dominated was because he was so powerful in every other way—undefeated by races and metal heads and duals—that the thought of someone being able to control him, even a little, was a serious turn on. It was just a theory Torn had come up with, but it seemed pretty accurate. Even if it wasn't completely the picture, it had a great deal to do with it, he was sure.

He pushed Jak against the wall, hoisting him up so the other could wrap his legs around his waist, and slid his hands underneath his shirt, again familiarizing himself with the muscled curves of his waist, chest, and lower back. Their kiss deepened as Jak let out just the softest moan, and it was enough for Torn to be completely swept away. That voice... Precursors, that voice was so addictive it nearly drove him mad. He met his needs with a grinding of their hips and Jak gasped softly. Torn licked his lips, pulling his hips to meet another thrust of his hips, and in that moment he cursed the existence of clothing. Another moan, and now Torn was instantly fumbling with Jak's pants, tugging at the irritable things and cursed the many belts that covered his shirt and secured his pants.

"What the..." Came an all too familiar voice. They both gasped and separated quickly, stumbling away from each other. Daxter stared at them with wide eyes in disbelief, completely dumbfounded by the sight before him. Jak and Torn? No way... not in a million years would Dexter ever have...

Torn was incredibly lucky it had just been Daxter. Jak could deal with him by his self and Torn relaxed a little knowing that it happened to be the loud mouthed fur ball that had walked in on his private time, rather than someone else... as long as he kept his mouth shut. He smirked, tucking a dread lock behind his ear, and walking past Daxter, whispering low for only Daxter to hear.

"Tell anyone and I'll send you gift wrapped to the Krimzon Guard, myself." And with that, Torn walked out, leaving a pissed off Daxter, and an embarrassed but irritable Jak alone.

"What the hell was that?" Daxter demanded, pointing off in the direction Torn had gone.

"What? I don't know... Torn?" Jak said, shrugging it off, his tone frustrated.

"Don't act all smart with me, pal. What's goin' on here? I walk in and my best bud is getting' felt up by Mr. High-and-mighty-tattoo-face? When did this happen?"

"I don't know..." He sighed, exasperated. He really wasn't ready to explain this to Daxter. "We just... happened?" His furry friend stared at his feeble attempt to explain things.

"So, what? You're in love with him or something?" His voice rose. "Why didn't you tell me? I didn't know you were..." He trailed off, gesturing at Jak, He didn't really know what he was getting at or how to say it nicely.

"Go ahead... Say it. I dare you." Jak growled, narrowing his eyes. Jak knew it to be true but he didn't want to hear it, _wouldn't_ hear it.

"..._Gay_." Daxter countered, letting the world roll from his tongue.

"What business is it of yours anyways, Dax? All you care about is..." Jak started, but Daxter cut him off.

"What business is it of _mine_? Oh I don't know, Jak, I'm your best friend, I thought. Why didn't you just tell me? I risked my life savin' your ass from Porkin' Praxis up there and you can't even at least _act_ like you trust me?" This argument was getting ridiculous. How dare he mention his imprisonment so casually as if its grounds against him? How dare he sit there and demand things of him when he, himself, was confused and still coping with what happened? Angry whispers echoed in his head. His entire being felt empty and only full of hatred and destructive power. His anger spiked and the change came quickly, the air crackling with violet and darkness.

"You don't have a _clue_ what I've been through!" His voice was now gravely, something that always occurred with his change.

"I would if you'd just frickin tell me!" Daxter replied, flinging his hands out in exasperation. "All you ever do is get angry, turn into an eco freak and go beat up bad guys. How about showing a little love to the guy who risked his tail?" With that, Jak's eyes went a new shade of black. How had this simple coming out turned into such a disgustingly upsetting fight? All of the tension and unspoken troubles between them had finally surfaced.

"Is that what I am Daxter? An eco freak? Is that what I am to you and everyone else in this damn city?" He shoved past Daxter, pushing up the stairs with heavy feet and panting as his heart raced and anger coursed through his veins. His world was tinted purple. He slammed a fist into a nearby wall and suddenly, he gripped his head, shuddering and growling in pain as he reverted back to his normal self. "Ugh..."

OOOOOOOO

The bar was only that much more inviting now, his head filled with doubts and anger threatening to well up and take over again. He felt drained and emptier than he had ever felt in a long time. He hung his head low, staring at the bar top and the shot glass that he spun around slowly between his finger tips.

"Would you like another? Krew said to get you anything you wanted..." It was Tess. She had taken a part time job for Krew as bartender to earn a bit of extra money. "You don't look so good... Did you get in a fight with Daxter? He was supposed to come..." There was a hint of disappointment in her voice, and it pained Jak and made him feel guilty to the core. He'd overreacted, he knew it. He was supposed to be celebrating and blowing off some steam tonight, not wallowing in self pity, tipsy at a bar. He looked up at her, his blue eyes apologetic.

"Aw, I'm sorry Tess..." He said meekly. "It's my fault... I'm just having a bad day and I took it out on Dax. I know he was looking forward to seeing you." Despite everything, she smiled at him, fixed him another drink and patted him on the shoulder.

"Jak, everyone has their days." And just like that, she'd forgive him and his anger was gone.

He smiled a bit, for the first time tonight, and perked up some. He'd apologize, first thing, to Daxter next time he saw him. Behind him, the bar doors opened as more customers came in; it was getting louder and more crowded. With the rise in energy his spirits rose as well, and as the night went on, Jak felt a little better about everything that happened.

"So this is where you ran off too." A familiar voice purred in his ear. He turned on his spinning bar chair, blinking at Torn. The shorter male grinned and clapped him on the back.

"Hello! I didn't know you were the drinking type!" Jak said, the smell of alcohol reeking on his breath. Torn rose his eyebrows, waving his hand in front of his face.

"Jeez, Jak. How much have you drank? And no, I'm not really the drinking type, I just wanted to see how things went with Daxter." And just like that, Jak's mood went back to hell. He explained the situation, running a hand through his hair and gesturing dramatically as he explained, in drunken detail, every line spoken and every heart broken. He sighed, banging his head on the table. "Jak, you two will be fine. There's no need to get so upset about it. Hate to say it, but as much as I hate the guy, you two make quite the inseparable pair. I've never seen a friendship so strong. Come back to the Underground, alright? Sober up and you can talk with him in the morning."

"Ok, ok." Jak waved him off. "Just let me finish my drink and I'll head back in a minute." Torn looked at him skeptically, but then his gaze softened as he appraised the man in front of him. He nodded, then left.

In a dimly lit corner of the room, a couple of Krimzon Guards, off duty, played a game of cards, roaring in a drunken excitement. All eyes were on the cards dealt and each others faces as a hefty sum was bet on the line. Laughter and good spirits permeated through the air...And the fiery haired man slammed his cards down.

"Read 'em and weep, boys." They all groaned in disbelief. It wasn't possible. They'll all put so much on the line!

"No way. One card higher! That's hardly fair..." One cried, holding his head in his hands. Everyone laughed. The bar was emptying now, as it was close to odd, early hours of the morning. It appeared there were just a few stragglers and the group playing cards. They settled, the winner taking his share and looking around the table with a smirk still on his face. It appeared it was time for another set of drinks!

"Hey bartender! Another round here!" Someone said, before the fiery haired man could get to it. Good man. He knows when to order and speak up. He peered up to search for the blond waitress, raising a brow expectantly. His trained, Krimzon Guard eyes caught sight of familiar greenish blond hair. In and instant he stood, his chair hissing and screeching as it was pushed out behind him, hands pushing down on the table in disbelief. The other Guards followed his gaze as he took a step around the chair and started advancing slowly behind the familiar back.

"Hey... isn't that...?" Someone began, their voice rising slightly in matching disbelief. The standing Guard silenced them with a wave of his hand. "But Erol," he tried again.

"Shut up. Go home." The fiery red head said in a low, hushed tone, glaring at them. Confused, they looked at each other, but obeyed. Erol continued his advance. Could it be true? Could, by idiotic chance, he be in the same bar as his ever sought object of obsession? He felt his breath quicken with excitement. So long had he wished just to confront the man and take him back to the lab. He'd run through the possibilities in his head over and over and over again, but he had never imagined it could be as easy as this. How had he missed him when he'd come in? Surely he hadn't slipped by without his noticing? If that were the case, he feared his senses for the hunt were dulling. No, he didn't believe that one bit. He must have been there before, sitting in the same, dark corner, easily missed. A smirk slowly pulled the corner of his mouth up. He couldn't believe his uncanny luck.

"Hello... Jak." Visibly, Jak stiffened. "Oh... You know my voice well."

Jak's eyes were glued to the table, his heart beat quickening, his pupils contracting in fear, his palms instantaneously clammy. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end as he slowly turned to see the man of his nightmares staring back at him.

"Erol..." It was all he could muster. Something inside of him roared and the undeniable urge to kill flared within. His breath quickened as Erol smirked that familiar smirk that had terrorized him even when he was awake. He flinched when the man in front of him reached out and tilted his chin up, forcing them to meet eye to eye. Where the hell was Tess? He swallowed a bit, not really knowing what to do. He had rehearsed so many times in his head what he would do to Erol once he got a hold of him, so why was he so paralyzed? He'd never been afraid confronting him before at races, so why now? Because he was alone?

"Why don't we step outside... get some fresh air?" Without a word, he walked out with him. Just like that, he'd stood up and calmly walked out back into the alley behind the Saloon. What was he thinking? He wasn't... he was intoxicated and his thoughts were impaired. "It's been so long..." The whisper sent chills down his spine that made him shiver.

"What do you want?" Jak finally said, looking at him with accusing eyes. But he didn't wait for an answer. His anger suddenly bubbled up within him, all the memories flooding back to him as suddenly as if a flood gate had been opened. He threw himself at Erol in attack. The fiery red head blocked a punch, retaliated, swept his feet out from under him. Jak, impaired as he was, still was able to catch himself of his hands and push himself up, flipping backwards to land somewhat steadily onto his feet. Erol was on him in an instant, swinging and kicking. Jak spun, tossing him to the side, deflecting effectively. It went on like that for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only a few minutes, until they were both panting and glaring at each other.

"Come on Jak... is that all you've got? I know you've got more rage built up inside you than that... drunk or not, you should be an even match for me. I'm hardly breaking a sweat." Erol taunted, and then it began again until Jak finally landed a good, solid punch to his face. Erol stumbled back, staring somewhat surprised at the panting, angry Jak in front of him. He wiped the trickle of blood from his chin and spat to the side.

Jak's heart was pounding. He felt incredibly alive in this moment, face to face with his once captor and somehow his head was incredibly clear. He'd landed a punch, so he could definitely do it again. In an instant, he was pinning Erol against the wall, a hand around his neck and staring into his eyes so deafeningly maddened he swore he was going to rip his throat out right there when Erol smirked. Something inside of him flared, and suddenly he was kissing Erol, more passionately then he had ever kissed Torn. Erol seemed to be expecting it somehow, but he didn't care why or how in this moment as Erol kissed him back, switching their positions and pinning Jak against the wall.

Jak groaned, shoved into the rough, metal wall and shuddered in excitement. Why was this happening? He didn't have time to think as Erol was soon scrambling to pull his clothes off. Jak joined him, tearing desperately at the red head's clothes as well, flinging them from his body and urgently locking their lips together again. He sucked on the taller man's tongue, moaning into his mouth when familiar hands traveled up along his chest and then around to his back, pulling him closer. He could taste the coppery flavor that still lingered from the blood. His body felt so wonderfully hard, flush up against his.

"Ugh... D-don't stop." Jak gasped, clutching at Erol's back and clawing deep marks there. Their harsh breathing filled the alley. It felt so amazing! Jak was euphoric, his limbs shaking and quivering with need as Erol took him against the wall. It hurt, and he couldn't help but tangle his fingers into fiery hair as he was dominated. Soft but territorial lips attacked his throat; kissing, sucking, licking, biting. Hands held onto his hips so hard they were already bruising, and Jak's voice trembled in a pleasure so deep he could barely force the words out. "Erol... Nn... I can't..."

That voice. It was his undoing, always. The red heads eyes closed in pure satisfaction as he reveled in the moment he'd be waiting for, for so very long. It was like music to his ears, and as he used this delicious body, he knew that his patience had all been worth while. He had trained this body so well that even Jak didn't know why it was happening just yet. It was genius. Softly, he started to laugh.

So utterly spent and satisfied, Jak looked up in confusion and fear at Erol, who still had him against the wall, his legs wrapped weakly around the taller man's waist. His breath was harsh, sweat dripping slowly off of his forehead, down to the ground below. He swallowed hard.

"Why..." He couldn't even begin to understand the current situation. Here he was, pinned against the wall by the man who plagued his dreams, day and night. Here he was, completely satisfied and fucked by the man who put him through hell for two years. Here he was, feeling completely whole by the man he'd sworn to kill.

"Because you need me, Jak." Erol said, smirking and pulling out and away from him, grabbing his clothes and putting them on as if nothing had even happened. Jak grabbed his clothes, not taking his eyes off of Erol. What did that mean? He needed Erol? "And I need you." Erol stated, completely surprising Jak again. Deep down, Jak knew he was right. But why? The red head grabbed him and kissed him once more, though this time the kiss was softer... there was something behind it. But just as quickly as it had come, it was gone... and so was Erol.

Jak was left, alone, to mull over the night in complete darkness. How the hell could this have happened? He felt like everything he knew was suddenly a lie.

OOOOOOOO

Scythe: Eh heh.. How'd you like the first installment? Really long, right? I hope I made the sex scenes censored enough so it wasn't graphic but you still got a really good idea about what was going on. I tried to make the dream sequence really choppy like real dreams, hope you all understood it... lol.


	2. Denial

Scythe: Hello. It's been ages. I have neglected all of my stories and I really do apologize. This is actually my favorite that I've ever written and yet I haven't updated it even once! I'm so terrible. I'm sorry. I hope my writing hasn't changed too much and I hope you like this new chapter.

I'd like to thank **Twink** for inspiring me and encouraging me to continue this idea. You are my muse.

Please enjoy the second installment of Missing Piece, or as I refer to it: _Project Blue_.

Warnings: SEE FIRST CHAPTER. I'm lazy. Hehe. Erol x Jak, Torn x Jak (kind of one sided). Some cursing.

* * *

**Ch. 2 – The Denial**

Not even a wink. Not even a single, momentary, tiny wink of sleep. And yet, his veins were coursing with energy… He was even more restless than ever, but for entirely different reasons, now, that confused him and made him anxious and nervous. How could he face anyone after what had happened in the alley? He stared at the low ceiling, laying in his bed with the curtain drawn, isolated in his darkness. He closed his eyes, but all he saw was Erol flashing against the darkness of his lids, forcing him to open his tired eyes again and stare once more at the ceiling.

"…Shit." He said, barely above a whisper. If he had ever been confused about anything in his life, this trumped all of the events put together. How could Erol, of all people, be the one that quelled the Beast? It didn't make sense. For so long, all he wanted was to kill him. Hell, part of him still wanted to kill him! However, he couldn't deny that last night had thrilled him more than any racing challenge… or any night with Torn. Guilt washed over him. Even if their relationship was just physical, he was not the type to sleep around.

This was driving him insane! He gripped his head, tugging on his hair slightly in exasperation. What the hell was going on?

It was the alcohol. Duh. Jak's eyes blinked, with realization. He was quite drunk last night, and anything could have happened when he was in such an emotional state, right? He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Yes, that had to be it. In his right mind, he had rehearsed the many ways of what he would do when he got his hands on Erol, and none of them had ever been to fuck him. He shuddered, pushing himself up just as he heard someone's footsteps coming closer. His heart began to race nervously. What if it was Torn?

"Jak?" It was Daxter. His voice was gentle and almost scared, and immediately the memories of their argument came racing back to him. Wow, he felt like an ass. How could he have forgotten that he was going to apologize to him?

"Hey buddy." He said, pulling the curtain back just enough so that Daxter could scramble up onto his bed. "Look, before you say anything, let me apologize first, ok?" His voice was low, hesitant and unsure, almost scared that Dax wouldn't let him. His furry companion waited, shocked, but seemed to relax.

…And he just stared at him, deep blue eyes searching smaller, lighter blue ones… and Daxter looked confused, and then almost as if he was resisting a smile.

"Was that it?" Daxter asked, raising a brow, an amused smirk breaking over his face as he crossed his tiny arms.

"Yeah," Jak said in a rush with the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He smiled sheepishly. Daxter knew he wasn't very good at expressing himself with words, and he could see the apology clear as day in his eyes, just like old times, but he couldn't help but laugh at him a little anyways.

"Don't worry about it, tall, dark, and brooding," he said, his humor returning to what it normally was. "I got your back, you know? I just want you to trust me."

"I know. You've never let me down, Dax." He smiled, and his orange fuzz ball of a friend scampered up and hugged him tightly. They were long overdue for a sappy moment. When the orange animal pulled away, he looked at Jak up and down with that mischievous look on his face that he wore so well.

"Sheesh. You need a clean up. You look like you haven't slept in days." Daxter gestured at Jak's unruly blonde hair and then shook his head, joking, yet not at the same time. If only he knew…

After Daxter left, he made it a point to get dressed and at least look presentable for… whatever it was that Torn had said he needed him for in the morning. He was thankful that he'd taken a shower the previous night, but also regretting it because his hair was particularly wild from having tossed and turned all night. He did his best to slick it back and out of his face, but it still looked a bit like a lion's mane.

Another meeting and another plan of attack: That's all he felt like his life was at the moment. Except this time, he completely avoided eye contact with Torn. Alright, so he got a little loosey-goosey when he drank, so what? It's not like he _liked_ Erol or something. It was just a weird slip up that wouldn't affect his life anymore. He'd forget about it, move on just like he always had, and continue with his daily life. He'd still kill the bastard when he saw him next.

Besides, he probably wouldn't even see him any time soon. Jak was always all over the city saving one person or another, and this was the first time he'd encountered him outside of racing. And during the racing, he'd totally wanted to kill Erol, right? There was no reason to fret over this any more. In fact, he didn't know why he was even thinking about it.

"JAK. Are you listening or what?" His head shot up from where he was staring at the map in front of him. It was the first time he'd met eyes with Torn and he nodded once and looked away again. "Right, as I was saying, you'll move it here, and it has to get there in one piece. Keep it off the Krimson Radar, you got me?"

"Of course." He said, standing as Daxter crawled up his back and perched onto his shoulder. "Just leave it to me."

Torn just smiled curtly. "I said I was going with you, didn't you get that part?" Jak blinked. He and Torn _never_ worked together. Daxter looked at him, not really liking the situation, and yet he said nothing for once. "Sorry to burst your bubble. It has specific delivering instructions. It's probably someone trying to communicate with us and they're desperate. They might have information we can use."

"Right. Fine. Let's go." Jak crossed his arms, leaving to collect his supplies for the trip. It shouldn't be too long, he mused; it was just across the city. By Zoomer it wouldn't even take that long to get there… Although, since they were now up another person in their head count, they'd have to take a Cruiser instead. They'd probably be there by early afternoon if they were able to keep moving without being stopped or without running into any trouble. Those Krimson Guards could be a bitch though, that's for sure.

OOOOOOO

The ride with Torn was awkward, to say the least. Jak was trying very hard to look like he was really concentrating on driving, while Daxter stayed in back with the fake packages and watched the rear view and Torn was up front with him.

So. Awkward.

Torn, on the other hand, thought the awkward vibe was coming from the event that had occurred the previous night with Daxter walking in on him feeling up his friend. Yeah, he could imagine that might put a bit of strain on their relationship for a minute. Torn's eyes drifted to survey around them, keeping close watch on their surroundings while Jak skillfully weaved in and out of traffic and through the city. It was amazing how quickly he'd picked up the layout and how bloody skillful he was at operating any type of machinery. It was frightening, really. Jak could master anything thrown at him in what seemed like moments. It was no secret to Torn that Jak had also acquired certain guns from a certain owner of a certain Saloon. One was strapped to his back and others were tucked away into boots and who knew what other weapons the man possessed. He was glad Jak was on their side. He couldn't imagine what this war would be like if Jak was sided with the Baron.

A chill ran up his spine. That was not a pleasant thought, and he'd instantly regretted the mere idea of it. Not to mention, he wouldn't have the incredible privilege of having the man in his bed almost every night. That, in and of itself, was one of the biggest perks of his life at the moment. Of course it was a selfish indulgence, but he knew anyone would die for the chance that he had had just fall into his lap. He remembered the day he strolled into the headquarters, like he owned the place. He was delicious then, and even more so now. That fiery attitude only excited him more, and being able to control such a beast was somewhat of an ego boost, even though he didn't know how long it would last.

It seemed that, as time progressed, Jak became more and more wild and unpredictable, like some feral animal that was dying to be set free. But what exactly did Jak need to be freed of? Or from? It was a question that had Torn going crazy. If he didn't find out soon, he would lose him forever.

Torn's eyes caught sight of familiar ground of the Industrial Zone, and he realized they were nearing their destination that lie in the East Bazaar. Depending on the information, they may have to lie low and stay the night, or rush back as soon as possible to keep their source from being found. He had reason to believe they'd struck the jackpot with another ex Krimson Guard member. He could possibly provide new maps and insider information on the war, information that was invaluable to him. It had been a long time since Torn had been in the Krimson Guard, and his own insider information that was once useful was now old news. But no matter.

With Jak at his side, there was nothing in the world that could stop him.

Nothing.

OOOOOOO

Things were very quiet when the three of them arrived, and they parked the Cruiser carefully and waited. They were rather early for the rendezvous time, seeing as Jak was so skilled with driving around the city, and so Torn instructed them to be back in one hour as to avoid suspicion. Jak and Daxter went one way, and Torn stayed with the car and package.

Daxter sat comfortably on Jak's shoulder, and they made some small talk as they walked through the Bazaar, checking out the shops, but avoiding talking to anyone for the most part. They didn't want to bring any more attention to themselves than was necessary.

"Hey, isn't that crazy old lady somewhere around here?" Daxter asked, looking at Jak. "We haven't seen her in a while, maybe we should stop in and say hello!" Jak looked at him for a moment, stopping in his tracks.

"Onin? But don't you not really get along with her… friend?" He asked, carefully choosing his words. Orange Lightning raised a brow and a small smirk graced his furry mouth. "What are you planning, Dax?"

"Hey, it's not like we don't have the time for a little excitement."

He frowned, but his feet began to take them there. He knew there was something strange when his companion had actually suggested something along the lines of being a Good Samaritan. The only time he ever suggested things like that was when he wanted something… He sighed a little but pushed the curtain of the Oracle's tent open and was shocked to see Onin staring straight at him. For once, Pecker was not making a smart remark and seemed extremely serious. It was enormously uncharacteristic and made Jak tense. Daxter sensed the disruption as well and shut his mouth, cutting off the smart remark he'd been preparing for Pecker. Immediately, Onin was signaling and Pecker began to translate.

"She says: I have been waiting for you. There is something dark hovering on your shoulders that you have not shared with anyone and it is threatening to consume you. There is a confliction within you as two halves of the whole are fighting for control." Pecker watched as Jak tried to keep his reactions minimal, but his eyes betrayed his confusion and panic that was seeping into his calm demeanor. "The darkness is spreading within you and will soon take over. You are doomed." It was so monotonous and frank, it left Jak blinking dumbfounded.

"… Surely you're just exaggerating. This is not a good time to joke," Jak said, glaring at Pecker. Pecker looked mildly offended.

"I may have paraphrased but I assure you it is accurate." The macaw said, even though he obviously didn't care about the message. He never did.

Jak frowned. The message struck his instincts as being about Erol, and yet, part of him refused vehemently to believe. Onin's message was so vague, and it could have meant anything. Beside, she'd already given him a similar message about his Dark Eco counterpart, and it sounded almost the same, so it could have been that, right?

"Didn't we already talk about this before? You're wasting my time…" Jak started, but Onin immediately cut him off, Pecker interpreting:

"You must leave this place. You are in danger. Danger. Danger! DANGER!" Pecker started to yell. "You must leave Jak, or he will find you! He's coming for you! He's here!" He then looked at them, shrugging, even though she was still signaling, and her face was contorted with worry. "She's really freaking out, my friend. I think you should leave."

"Tsk," Jak's nose wrinkled in disgust and he grunted, his hands balling into fists and his side, knuckles going white with the force. "Thanks for nothing." He stormed out in a huff, throwing back the curtain, Daxter holding on for dear life.

Onin swatted at Pecker, her mouth open as if she was screaming at him. The parrot flew up, confused and defensive. "What? What did I do? I told him what you said!" She signed and he landed on a perch, staring at her.

'You did not stress the importance. You did not tell him what!' She signed furiously, throwing something at him.

"I told him everything, woman. I can't read your mind, I can only read your hands!"

'There is something ominous coming.'

"There is always something ominous surrounding that boy." He ruffled his feathers, adjusting himself on the perch. "It's better not to know your future, anyways. It won't help him."

The soothsayer stayed silent, staring sightlessly at the floor in front of her crossed legs, deep in thought for a while.

'This may be the hardest task Jak will ever have to face…' Onin finally signed, then waved him away.

OOOOOOOO

Outside, Jak was pacing angrily, making his way back to Torn, yet backtracking as he thought over what she had said. He couldn't shake the warning Onin had given him. Normally, Jak took her predictions in stride, allowing her to say what she needed and not giving it too much thought or worry. He always felt in control, and he knew that _whatever_ happened in life always happened for a reason.

This thought stopped him. For a brief moment, he thought again back to Erol and what it could mean, but immediately ceased the idea from forming. He shook his head and growled softly in frustration.

"Hey, calm down. It's not like she hasn't said it before. Stop worrying so much." Daxter said, his usual carefree tone in tow. Hearing it somehow calmed him enough to make him stop pacing and sigh, releasing some of the physical tension in his body.

"Yeah. I don't know why I let it get to me…" He admitted, shrugging his shoulders a little to loosen them even more, "Let's just go back to Torn. It's almost time anyways." And with that, they made they way on foot back to the meeting spot, finding Torn expectantly waiting. He visibly brightened when they came into view.

"Just in time. We've made contact with the messenger and they're on the way. Meeting in a public place was wise, but it can still be risky if we act suspicious. You two haven't done anything weird have you?"

Jak and Daxter looked at each other, then smiled back at him. "Of course not," Dax said, waving him off.

They busied themselves, unloading the packages so they didn't look awkward just standing there waiting. They talked quietly amongst themselves, joking and talking about random things. Torn was looking over some paperwork in the Cruiser.

The next moments became somewhat of a blur as things began to take a turn for the worst. In an instant they were surrounded by Krimson Guards and all the people in the Bazaar parted and stood around, watching cautiously. A transport ship landed in the center and Jak immediately got chills up his spine when he realized what kind of a transport ship it was. It was the same one he'd been dragged into when he first got sent to Haven City through the portal. He swallowed hard and looked at Torn, shooting him an alarmed and confused look. Torn looked just as shocked.

How had this happened? Had they really walked so blindly into a trap? Impossible. They had checked the source of the request up and down and it had all checked out! What the hell was going on? Jak's mind was immediately going over the possibilities. Had their source sold them out? Were they working for the Krimson Guard the whole time? Or was this just some leak that had cost them dearly? It was then that the blonde realized that Daxter was missing. Great. Leave it to him to disappear at the moment of importance. A dark thought crossed his mind: Had Daxter…?

No. That was the dumbest thought that had ever occurred in him. That was when he realized how completely mentally unstable he wasy. How could he ever suspect Daxter of betraying them, even for a split second? However, this was no time for self-epiphanies.

…And Erol stepped down from the transporter…

Definitely not a good time. Jak's eyes locked on the red head, his pulse quickening and time seeming to slow to a painful speed.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite band of Underground idiots." Erol's voice bounced off the Bazaar walls, attacking Jak's ears and sending a wave of emotion hurtling through him. He desperately tried to calm his inner turmoil. That was when he noticed Erol wasn't looking at him, but at Torn. Something seemed off.

"Torn," Erol said in a bitter greeting.

"Erol," the mahogany-haired rebel replied, arms crossed. He could see that his Underground superior also felt that this was no ordinary meeting. Things were incredibly uncomfortable.

"For all you wonderful Haven City civilians that may be watching," Erol started, his voice booming around him as he looked around. "You are about to witness how we make an example of rebels who try to disrupt our peace." He said, a small maniacal smile on his face as he addressed them. It was the oldest trick in the propaganda book, as far as Jak was concerned. Erol was obviously trying to tug at their emotional strings, as well as make it seem like he actually cared about their safety. "These men are from the Underground, as some of you may know, and they have been so busy trying to stop us from protecting you. It is our job as Krimson Guards to always think of your safety, and now we are here to make good on our word." He finally turned and looked to Jak. He gave him a once over that sent a thrilling wave of goose bumps that rippled down his arms and made the hair at the back of his neck prickle and stand on end. He advanced slowly, and his cocky performance made the blonde grit his teeth in anger. Bastard. Waltzing around like he was so confident that he could capture Jak.

"It was so easy. We know what you want, and all we had to do was have our lovely friend contact you so you'd come here. Threatening to kill someone's family always makes them so much more cooperative." He was referring to Ikka, the source they were supposed to meet with here for the 'delivery' job. "I'm here to play fair, of course. I just want to make an exchange."

Torn took in Erol's words carefully, suspicious. "What are the terms?"

A smile.

"Give me Jak, and I won't kill _you_." He replied, shooting a narrow-eyed, knowing look at Torn.

"Like hell!" Jak growled, anger flaring.

"Temper, temper. I could just kill you both," he cooed slyly.

"Then why haven't you already?" Jak retorted, using the same sly tone that Erol was giving him.

If Erol hated anything, it was people mocking him. He almost hated it more than losing his little pet experiment. However, this opportunity would not slip through his fingers.

"If that's the way you want to play it…" With a snap of his fingers, chaos erupted and guards were surrounding him in an instant. He quickly pulled his rifle from the sling on his back and accurately popping them off one by one, his movements precise and calculated. He'd show that asshole what he was made of. He risked a glance to check and see if Torn was alright and was pleased to see that he was holding his own, but something inside of him knew that they couldn't keep this up for long. There were far too many KG soldiers and only two of them. Not to mention that Erol was extremely powerful on his own. This was not looking good.

In an instant, he found himself on the floor, jaw aching. Someone had hit him square on the left side of his the jaw with the butt of their rifle and he was really feeling it burn already with the impact. He rubbed the sore spot, looking up at the guard that held the gun in his face as others surrounded. He peaked over at Torn again, and was shocked to see him still fighting, though he was pretty beaten up already. This had to stop.

"Erol!" Jak hissed, getting to his feet, but putting his hands up slowly. "Stop. I'll go with you." Erol meandered over towards him, watching Torn continue to get beaten for a moment before shifting his focus to Jak, looking pleased, then finally motioned for his men to stop. The silence was suddenly deafening, and all Jak could hear was his companion's labored breathing. "Just let him live." Jak added. This didn't seem to sit well with the Commander. Torn was panting, holding his arm and staring at Jak as the guards surrounded him. Jak had never seen the worry that was now on Torn's face. He couldn't possibly understand why Torn was suddenly feeling this way. It was not as if he hadn't been captured by these men before, and if he could get out once, he could get out again. He didn't know how, but he knew Daxter would be there to help.

"I'm sorry, Jak. It doesn't work like that." He purred, amused. "You see, the offer is no longer valid since you foolishly resisted. Kill him." He motioned to the guards.

"NO!" Jak yelled, stopping the guards a moment long enough for Erol to lift his hand and stay them, curious. "Please." He hesitated, swallowed before he spoke next. "I'll do anything you want." He chose the words carefully, knowing the words were like gold to Erol, and it showed in the satisfaction on his face.

"Don't, Jak. It's not worth it." It was Torn's voice this time. Shocked, dark blue eyes met worried, light blue. "We need you. Don't worry about me." He sounded angry, but before Jak could say anything, Erol silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"Shut up, already." The commander had lost his patience and pushed through the guards, grabbing the Underground leader by his hair and twisting it to force Torn to look at him. The rebel winced in pain. "You have no idea, do you?" And then a small glint of mischief appeared in his eyes as an idea suddenly occurred to him. His eyes narrowed, his cockiness practically oozing from his stare as he smiled evilly.

"Jak, you didn't tell me he could hold his own when we spoke last night…" The words landed on them both like a ton of bricks, Jak's dark blue orbs widening impossibly large.

No! How could he _say_ that?

The rebel leader looked at the blonde, his brow lifted in disbelief, eyes displaying his feeling of betrayal.

"What the hell does that mean?" He asked Jak, but Erol answered for him.

"Oh? You didn't tell your friends that we hooked up last night?" He asked innocently, shooting his pet a knowing glance. The statement was a double entendre, and on the surface, it was meant to simply implicate a meeting, but to Jak it held so much more humiliation and connotation.

"No… it's not…" Jak tried, but he couldn't seem to get anything out that made sense. It was obvious what was said had affected him more than anything Torn had ever seen elicited from the man. Something was just fishy… it was obvious that Erol was trying to divide them, but he trusted Jak. There had to be some explanation for all of this. So… what? Had they talked? Had they fought? He knew how much Jak hated the fiery red head.

At first, Torn was stunned and perplexed as to why they would even talk at all, but when he saw the look in Jak's eyes, something inside of him clicked and he suddenly understood the deeper meaning of what was meant in the statement.

What?

Anger welled up inside of him, boiling and festering at an exponential rate until he exploded, throwing Erol from him and quickly pouncing like a beast, hands wrapping around the commander's throat and squeezing as hard as he could. Within moment the guards had pulled Torn, scratching and thrashing all the way, off of their superior and threw him to the ground.

Erol only laughed, rubbing his throat for a short instant before waving them off. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of him, Torn. I'll even let you watch."

Jak was mortified. The humiliation he felt debilitated him and he was hardly even aware of the fact that his hands were now bound behind his back and he was being shoved into the transport. Again.

A small chuckle was all he heard before a sudden pain erupted in his skull and his vision went black. This was way too familiar.

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Scythe: Thanks for reading. Please Review. Your input and fandom is what keeps me going and is partly what made me decide to keep going with this. I know there may be a few things that are confusing, but I'm leaving some of these facts out intentionally for plot purposes. Hopefully they will be explained in the next chapter. If they still aren't, don't hesitate to ask (nicely :D ).

Also, sorry if some areas dragged. It was tough getting over some writers block to transition the story where I wanted it to go. Haha. Also for any misspellings or typos. :


	3. Recreation

Scythe: Thank you to everyone who has stuck with Project Blue aka Missing Piece. I am really glad about the positive feedback and reinforcement. It is reviewers like you that really make this all worthwhile!

To **Twink**: I love you! You are my muse! I know I already said that, but I wanted to say it again. XD Heart.

Thank you to **Abstract Reality**: You have encouraged me, too. And I really, really love your long, detailed reviews. xD

Warnings: Dark themes. Some drug use. Cursing, etc. Erol x Jak. Some Torn x Jak.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Recreation**

White…

… Blinding and painful white light that stung his eyes when he tried to open them. The pain caused him to squeeze his eyes shut tightly in rebellion of the intrusive rays, eliciting a deep groan from him. His body felt so heavy, like a bag of sand was covering him. To challenge that feeling, he lifted his hands to block the light, only to find something prevented him from doing so. He tried again, yanking his wrist upwards but finding no luck. What the hell was going on? And why did his head hurt so badly? He attempted to open his eyes once more, squinting and blinking against the harsh light, vision blurry. Even when his vision cleared, all he could see was a ridiculous amount of white: White ceiling, white lights, white fixtures, white walls… everything. Finally, Jak turned his head weakly to the side, his eyes finding a lab table where a familiar face and body lay and instantly the previous day came rushing back to him.

Erol had set them up. He remembered how he had show up with the Krimzon Guards and bombarded them. He could hardly remember the fight, but it explained why his head ached. However, it didn't really explain where he and Torn were. As his mind began to function better, he realized that they were both strapped to what looked like lab tables.

He really didn't like this. He felt like it had been just yesterday that he escaped from the awful experimentations in this place, and now it seemed as if he may have to go through it all over again. His heart began to pound with the mere idea of it, the trauma of the event reminding his body of the horror and pain it had once experienced. He was beginning to hyperventilate, struggling against his bonds, slowly at first, then frantically. The whispers in his head, for the first time since Erol had quieted them, returned with his panicked state. He looked around for anything that he could use to help free his self, but there was nothing in the room. It had probably been cleared carefully in preparation for his return…

"Jak..?" The raspy voice made him jerk his head back to look at Torn, his breathing calming slowly with the distraction.

Torn could see the faint fear that lingered in Jak's deep blue eyes. This alarmed him greatly, as he'd _never_ seen fear in his eyes. Ever. No matter the situation, Jak always remained calm and ready for battle. What he saw now looked more like a caged animal, and instantly his heart sank in sadness for his companion. He would make things better, and he would kill Erol with his own two hands once he got the chance.

Erol… That bastard. Anger welled within him as he recalled the coy comment the red head had thrown in his face. The idea that Erol had touched Jak in ways that Torn had was not only infuriating, but unfixable damage to his pride. There were many unanswered questions that Torn needed answers to, but now was not the time to talk about it.

Or was it? Why should he be delicate with him when he was apparently sleeping with the enemy? And why the hell would he want to anyways? Jak _hated_ Erol. He saw it in the way his body tensed, the tone of his voice, and the intense emotion that flooded the sea of his eyes just at the mention of his name. Jak's eyes never lied. It was something he had always loved about Jak because it was a window to the core of innocence inside an exterior of a jaded man.

"Torn…" Jak said, pulling him from his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"What's going on?" Straight and to the point: It was always how he had always done things, and now his anger was spilling over uncontrollably. He felt betrayed and now everything could be lost.

"Please, I can explain…" Jak said. But could he? Even he didn't know.

"Can you really, Jak? How can you explain sleeping with the enemy?" He hissed in a hushed whisper. He still had right mind enough to not draw attention to them, wanting as much time with him as he could to interrogate and solve this mystery. The hurt and confusion that washed over Jak was extremely evident, and yet, the anger had to be released. He needed answers. "Is that how they set us up? It was you? And where did that stupid animal go? Did he have something to do with this as well?" Torn struggled against the bonds that bound his wrists and arms, as if he was trying to rip free and strangle Jak, himself.

"What? No, how could you even…? Why would you…?" It seemed the words were stuck in his throat, as words often did with this still so new voice of his. "That's not…" He clenched his fists, slamming them on the table… or as much as he could with being strapped down. "Look, I hardly think this is a good time," he started, trying to remain calm, but the resentment was seeping into his tone now.

"Then when would be a good time, Jak? When you're screwing him?"

Jak turned away. Humiliation and shame forced tears to well in his eyes. The frustration was too much for him to take, and he struggled to fight the tears that desperately wished to fall. But Torn was right… How could he have allowed it to happen in the first place? Alcohol or not, letting that… that… _thing_ touch him that way… Just the thought of it made him burn. It wasn't even the burn of anger, but something much, much more passionate. Hatred? Abhorrence?

…When he realized the burn was not anger, but arousal, the memory was all the more detestable.

He remembered how Erol had said they needed each other, and still didn't understand what that could possibly mean. He wanted nothing more than to kill him and yet his body wanted to be used and pleasured by him. Why? WHY? Yes, he had to be honest with himself at this point or else nothing could get solved. His body reacted to Erol in the most delicious ways... It drove him _mad _in more than a few ways as well. The voices taunted him, whispered terrible truths in his head. He had to block them out!

Managing to calm himself, he took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling, ignoring the whispers in his head.

"I know it looks bad," he started, taking another deep breath, "and I know where you're coming from, but I'm telling you that Dax and I had nothing to do with this." He didn't have to explain himself to Torn. He couldn't even explain what was going on to himself, much less other people, but nonetheless he would defend himself.

Torn fumed. Why did he actually believe him? He explained nothing, and yet those simple words struck him as truth. Fuck that! He _wanted_ to be mad at him; he had a right to be! And yet, he could see the truth in Jak's eyes and it quelled his words… but not his anger. He thrashed momentarily on the table, more to relieve some stress than to actually escape, and finally he calmed.

"Don't think we're done with this conversation," Torn warned, staring at the ceiling as he felt Jak turn to look at him. There was a pause that was very awkward and unsettling for the blonde as his tattooed superior thought to himself. After a moment of silence, he finally turned to meet the worried blue stare. "Alright… if it wasn't you, then what happened? Why are we here now?"

"I can help with that," a voice from the door purred. How long had he been there? Both Torn and Jak were thinking the same thing, but Torn felt the energy in the air completely change once Jak saw Erol. First there was an unmistakable air of fear, and he could see it in his body language out of his peripheral vision, and then he saw it morph into fury as Jak pulled at the bonds on his arms, trying to free himself.

Erol stared at him with a look that made Torn's blood boil. He could see the lust, satisfaction, and desire blatantly roll over him as he took in Jak's form. He growled. It grabbed the red head's attention, but a smirk was on that stupid, tattooed face.

"Be patient, I'll get to you soon enough," he stated, moving a rolling stool over to sit between them. "And how are we feeling today?" He asked mockingly with a sadistic smile, crossing one leg over the other and resting his arms on his knee.

"Fuck you," Jak spat, glaring at him.

"In due time, Jak. You can't rush art." He laughed, resting his chin in his hand and smiling at him. Torn wanted to rip his throat out in that moment, and swore that he would, his breath speeding up with the rage that coiled inside of him. "Oh, don't give me that look, old friend." It took a moment for Torn to realize he was now speaking to him since he never took his gaze away from the blonde on the table. He finally turned to meet the rebel's eyes, his demeanor completely changed. What the hell was his game?

Jak really wanted to know what was going on. He hadn't realized they knew each other, though in a way it made sense because they had both been a part of the KG at the same time. He swallowed hard, but his voice didn't want to come, no matter how much he wanted to ask him how he knew about the relationship.

Erol stood, pulling a knife slowly from its sling at his side and gently running it down the rebel commander's cheek. "If you ever touch Jak again, I'll castrate you." He said, his voice low and threatening, and Torn did not doubt him as a chill shot through his entire body. Sensing the very real danger, Torn stayed absolutely still, even as Erol pressed the tip of the blade into his neck, causing deep, dark red blood to well up and slowly drip down to pool at the table. He smiled. "You look like you want to ask me something. Go ahead. I'm really a nice guy."

His sarcasm was really not entertaining. Fine, he'd take the bait.

"How did you know? We never told anyone." Torn said, his voice far more stable and confident than he felt at the moment. He'd never admit it, but Erol had really shaken him up, and for once he felt as if his life was in immediate danger. He knew how dark and twisted Erol could be, as he'd seen it first hand when they had worked together… Those days were disturbing and he did not want to relive the—

"Oh, it was easy." Erol's smooth voice brought him from his memories, capturing his focus. "We knew that you couldn't resist the concept of information." The Krimzon Commander seemed uninterested, looking at his finely groomed nails. "It wasn't hard to set up a scenario. Get a guy that has given you information before and threaten to kill his family and you'd be surprise how cooperative they become, and how willing _you_ are to believe it. Well, that's how it started anyways…" He sighed a little. "When he stumbled upon you two _freaks_ making the beast with two backs while sneaking in to deliver the message, naturally he tried to exchange that bit of information for his family's safety, but since he'd already fulfilled his purpose, we just killed him anyways." He said, as if he was sorry for what he'd done, but the corners of his mouth tugged up betrayed his inner amusement.

"You bastard," Jak hissed, pulling at his restraints. Erol's ears perked slightly at the delicious sound of his pet's voice, and he whirled to face him. Oh that voice… it had always been his undoing. The first scream of pain he'd forced from that throat was like an intensely high dose of the highest quality EcoVent directly injected into his brain. The wave of euphoria that rippled through his entire body had him frozen in wonder as the new object of his obsession lit his senses to an inferno. It helped that he was so delicious to look at as well, especially writhing beneath him. He had that body so well trained that it was no surprise when Jak, a man of primal urges, was overcome by the intense instinct to be satisfied by Erol's body again. After being without it for so long, the need must have been building in him without him even realizing what it was.

Delectable.

An idea crossed his mind. _Let's test this theory, _he mused, looking at Torn briefly to make sure he was watching. When he had his full attention, Erol moved to Jak's side and reveled in the terror he saw there, noting that Torn's attention was glued to him, wondering what he was going to do. Looking directly into Torn's eyes, he gripped Jak's face in his hand, making the blonde freeze, his brow twitching as something coursed through him just at the Commander's touch. A smirk appeared on his face as he began to slide his blade down Jak's neck, trailing down to the opening of his shirt and slicing easily through the material and belts until most of his chest was bared and even the top of that delightfully toned stomach. He slid his hands expertly over the exposed, wanton flesh. Jak's breath hitched and he shut his eyes tightly, but not before Torn could see the flash of pleasure followed by confusion. Erol made a small noise of satisfaction as his fingers found hardening nubs on Jak's sleek, muscled chest, and he gave one a pinch. The body beneath his skilled hands jerked slightly, a tiny whimper managing to escape the blonde's throat.

He was enjoying this? Torn was pissed.

Or was it that his body was reacting against his will, somehow? Either way, Torn was horrified watching this, but he couldn't tear his eyes away until he realized that Erol was staring directly at him. He flinched, and then finally looked away, a mess of rage, guilt, and jealousy making his stomach turn.

Oh, Erol liked this game. A lot. How far could he take it, he wondered, or should he save the fun for later? His golden eyes flicked down to his pet and his own body began to react to the pleasure he saw Jak was trying to fight beneath him. Oh this was too good. He pushed open the remains of his blue shirt, eyes trailing along the flesh with a fiery desire that he only felt for this man. It was too much. He needed him NOW. He stopped abruptly to calm himself, enjoying the psychological damage he knew he was inflicting on his former co-worker and the humiliation Jak was displaying, refusing to look at either of them. His chest rose up and down in a light pant, shifting uncomfortably on the table.

"Now for the main event…" Erol mused aloud. Both the young men strapped down whipped their heads up in disbelief, and the fiery red head meandered over to the drawers, beginning to hum to himself as he pulled out a few supplies. Neither of the other two men could see what was going on, but each felt like something very bad was about to happen.

It was when Erol came back into view with a rolling tray in tow, still humming and seeming as if he'd even forgotten they were there, that Jak began to panic. Erol held a syringe in hand and a jar of dully glowing EcoVent. There was a green jar and a dark—almost black—purple jar, and Jak knew all too well exactly what was about to happen. Purple EV? Though he'd never seen it before, that could only mean Dark EcoVent, and suddenly he realized the severity of the situation. He let his head fall back and prepared himself mentally for what was about to happen. This was not the first time that Jak would be exposed to EcoVent.

"You're so lucky, Jak. You always get to try things first," said Erol, smiling as he flicked the syringe to get the bubbles in the purple liquid to the top and squeezed them out, the drug squirting up into the air. The sight made him sick. "And now you get to try our newest brand. 'DEV' is our most powerful strain: 6 times more potent and addictive than YellowEV, 8 times stronger than RedEV, and 12 times faster than BlueEV. " His statistics were matter of fact and a little confusing, but Jak knew the basic concept of each drug, and could only take a deep breath to try to calm himself.

When he had escaped from Erol the first time and realized the world outside was possibly crueler than the one inside, he'd sunk into a deep depression and turned to addictions to quell him until Torn had approached him and changed his life.

EcoVent was the first thing he learned about when on the streets. He'd seen it in the slums and had been offered copious amounts of it often from shady civilians. It wasn't until his first trip without Daxter that he tried it in desperation of quieting the voices in his head.

Green EcoVent: the mildest of all the strains on the market and the first he'd taken. It was a condensed inhalant that came in a one time use vile that was small and easy to hide. It relaxed him and dulled the voices enough that he could bock them out, and made him not think about the two years of hell he'd just gone through. The only downside was that it robbed him of his determination to do anything, and so he couldn't take it while on missions. But he was willing to make that sacrifice… until his dealer got his hands on some Blue EcoVent.

Blue EcoVent was a little more addictive than Green, and its physical effects were the exact opposite of GreEV. It was an extremely condensed form of Eco to the point of liquid and capsulated, then taken orally. It made his heart race and made him so aware of everything going on around him that he moved at a mile a minute. On top of that, he was often moving too quickly from one task to the next that he didn't hear the dulled voices in his head. _And_ he could use it at work. However, the crash from BlEV was so drastic that his moods would spike and he went days without sleeping. If not using the drug, the voices were amplified, which only increased his need to rely on the two different kinds of EcoVent, and he nearly got caught at the Underground when Dax had noticed he hadn't been sleeping. He'd made up some excuse, though it wasn't an excuse for long because he eventually couldn't sleep for days anyways.

Then Red EcoVent came along, commonly referred to as "REV". It was a fiery looking liquid that was to be injected directly into the blood stream, and was rumored to make the user invincible. When it came out and his dealer offered it to him, at first he refused because of his little incident with the BlEV, but after only a week of being clean, he couldn't take the screaming inside of his head and the insomnia and sought him out. The first time he tried it was the worst, the stuff burning in his veins and making him hiss, but soon enough the fire was gone and all that was left was an energy that was so intense and strong, he felt like he could lift an entire building off the ground. It really _did_ rev the user up! Now he knew why people thought they were invincible, but he quickly realized this was definitely not the case. However, it did make him twice as strong in battle and made him want to seek out life or death situations in an attempt to keep the whispers in his head subdued. For a while, it was great, but the crashes, like BlEV, were extremely tiring and caused his anger to spike uncontrollably at times. Also, if one were to take too much REV it burned and caused the user to spiral into uncontrollable muscle spasms because there was too much energy. It was a horrific sight. It was here that he realized that he could hurt his friends if he wasn't careful, and even caused a few involuntary Dark Jak transformations.

Last, Yellow EcoVent was all the rage in the clubs when it came out. It was condensed into a powder, and was also able to be injected. The liquid was far stronger than the powder, and was also far more expensive than the powder. The effects were amazing. It kept the user awake, and created a sense of euphoria, yet dulling the senses pleasantly so one could forget their troubles and yet they could also enjoy a relaxing high that penetrated through all the muscles of the body. Jak was instantly hooked when he had it, and if the powder wasn't cut with anything strange, it hardly ever made him feel like crap the next day. At first, he stuck to the powder, but when the whispers in his head became so loud that he was going insane, he switched to the liquid and injected it directly into his bloodstream. It was a kick. The first time he tried it, it floored him, but the whispers completely disappeared and for this, he was so thankful he kept using and using until Torn eventually found out. It wasn't hard to tell when he disappeared for days on end. When he was late for a mission, well that was when Torn confronted him…

-Flashback-

Torn watched Jak waltz it like it was nothing and if he wasn't already mad, he was certainly angry now. Jak had been gone for days with no word or communication, and even Daxter had gotten worried. In faith, Torn gave him the benefit of the doubt, seeing as Jak never missed a mission, so when Jak didn't show up for work this morning, things got a little tense and they had to consider the very real possibility that Jak might be dead. However, Torn didn't feel as if it was possible. Jak was somewhat of a celebrity and if he had died, then it would have reached the media immediately. And now, four hours late, Torn was unhinged, nerves fried, and Jak had the audacity to simply walk in like this and not give an explanation?

"You're late..."

"I'm here, aren't I?" The renegade countered defiantly, crossing his arms and looking away. "Now let's get this over with…" He walked past him towards the back where his own room was.

Torn growled and stood, reaching out to grab Jak's arm, turned him around and then shoved him against the wall. "What good are you drugged out, Jak?"

Jak flinched. How did he know? He'd washed up, he wasn't high anymore, and he certainly didn't have anything on him at that moment in time. He looked sideways as Torn slammed his hands next to his head, and then decided to look back up at him, directly into his eyes. "I'm not on drugs."

"Not anymore," he growled. "What do you think you're doing? What you do in your spare time is none of my business, but when you have a job to do, you do it, understand?" He jabbed a finger into his chest, their faces only inches apart. "Don't make me repeat it. I sent someone else to do your dirty work, and I swear if anything happens to them, I'll kill you myself."

The look in his eyes told him Torn was not lying. So what? What should he do? He knew he had a problem, but he couldn't just stop... It wasn't a physical thing, it was the voices, and he hadn't even told Daxter about those stupid whispers in his head... "I show up and I do my work don't I?"

Now Torn was really aggravated. He grabbed the front of Jak's shirt and lifted it, growling through his teeth: "Don't. Try. My patience." For a moment they just stared into each others eyes, and something flitted across the lighter blue eyes that Jak could not discern when finally Torn let up. "What is the matter? What's so horrible that you need to turn to YeEV, of all things?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's none of your business anyways." He growled, pushing Torn away from him now and trying to shoulder past him, but he was in for a rude awakening. Torn slammed him back against the wall.

"Listen to me, punk," he growled, grabbing Jak's face and holding his chin. Sometimes, you just had to show them who was really the boss with a little force. "It's my business when it starts interfering with my work. You're putting us all in jeopardy when you make stupid mistakes, Jak." Jak struggled, but he easily subdued him. "See? You can't even fight back. The YeEV has used up all your strength," Torn pointed out, a small smirk gracing his lips in order to taunt the younger boy. Jak fixed him with a murderous stare, but he knew that he had struck a chord when the fire in Jak's eyes turned to an inferno.

The words hit him harder than he would have liked to admit, and he couldn't help but feel an excitement well up inside of him. It had been a long time since someone was able to match his strength, and even with the YeEV depleting it, he was still more then enough to hold his own. The whispers... they quieted as he stared into Torn's eyes, narrowing his own with challenge. "Even with my strength at a minimum, you can barely hold me down," Jak retorted, a smirk on his face.

Torn had had enough of this. He was the superior here and he definitely needed to show him. It was hard to get respect when you couldn't prove yourself worthy of being respected. "Shut. Up."

"Make me."

Jak had no idea what he was asking. This was a dangerous situation, and Torn knew he was treading some dangerous water, but Jak just… did something to him. Jak made him feel things he hadn't felt in years. He lost himself around the brawny blonde, and now he was losing his temper in ways no one had ever been able to do to him. "Fine." He'd give him his wish. In an instant he was kissing Jak, crushing their lips together and pinning his wrists against the wall with more force than was really needed.

What in the world? Jak was shocked, his body unable to move. A kiss was not really what he had expected when he'd said "make me" and confusion rippled through his emotions, clouding his judgment. He couldn't help but realize the last time he'd been kissed was when he captive and in Erol's possession. A tremor quaked through his body at the memory, and yet this kiss was so different.

A surprised noise filled the limited space between them, and for a moment, Jak struggled, his breath quickening. But as the kiss deepened and Jak realized the voices in his head were completely silent, Jak's will to defend himself weakened and soon he was kissing back... He wasn't sure why just yet, but if the kiss and domination from this taller male was the reason for the calm in his head, he would give anything to keep it going.

He would be lying if he said that Torn wasn't attractive. He wasn't quite sure what it was about him that had hooked him first, but since women hadn't been satisfying him lately, perhaps he would try this out instead. Maybe it was just what he needed.

Torn was pleasantly surprised that Jak gave in so willingly, and he took it a step further, pulling Jak's lithe, tight body against his own. When Jak reacted to his touch and welcomed it, Torn lost it. He may never have this kind of opportunity to indulge in his biggest fantasy, and he intended to use it wisely if Jak would comply.

Torn easily lifted the man and brought him into his room, shutting the door with his foot behind him and never breaking the passionate kiss that he'd been longing for since he'd met the renegade soldier. He'd never seen Jak so compliant before. It made his groin ache with excitement and the feeling bubbled inside of him until he was tearing at Jak's clothing. The blonde helped, desperate to rid himself of the oppressive items and soon they were locked together in a primal embrace, and nothing but their breath and the sound of their love-making could be heard.

And now he couldn't live without it.

-End Flashback-

But really, it had just been one addiction to the next, and now he was starting to realize that. It was battle, then to EcoVent, and then to Torn, and back to battle, furthermore with races, and then to…

He was ripped from his realization as he felt Erol cutting his sleeve all the way up to the shoulder, then wrapping a piece of rubber around his bicep. Jak squeezed his eyes shut tightly, ruing what was about to happen. Not again. Not EcoVent. He pleaded to whoever was listening up there that this would end quickly, and that Torn would not watch this.

"If we consider the effects, it's definitely our masterpiece. Well, I really can't describe it to you, so I'll just have to show you. Hope you like it, after all it _was_ created just for you." This shocked the renegade, not understanding what he meant, but he didn't have time to think before Erol was injecting the blackish-purple drug into his arm.

Oh, come sweet death.

He inhaled sharply, and at first there was an intense amount of pain, his muscles ceasing up, and he growled through gritted teeth as his back arched up, purple sparks crackling around him. His veins burned with the energy of the EcoVent, making him hiss and thrash his head. Surprisingly, he didn't transform, even though he felt as if he was going to: That pain, that rush, that anger! Suddenly, it stopped. Euphoria was an understatement as his body suddenly relaxed and coursed with the most blissful sensation that had ever been drug induced. His pupils dilated as his veins began to burn and pulse, his brain shutting down in the most strange, mind-numbing way. In all honesty, words could not express the feelings that were making his body tingle and his mind draw a blank. He felt heavy. Any movement sent deep, saturated pleasure through the entirety of his physical body. He let out a sigh, a deep groan following, his mind silenced and his eyes falling closed against his will.

Torn was terrified at what he was seeing, and nor did he understand it. He'd never taken EcoVent, personally, but he'd been around enough people that he knew this was not normal. Dark EcoVent? It was crazy. Not enough was known about Dark Eco anyways, and here Jak was exposed to it constantly.

"Isn't he beautiful?" The words surprised Torn, causing him to lift his eyes from Jak to Erol, where the words had come from. Well, the words had surprised him less than the tone that seeped into them. Erol sounded like he actually meant it, rather than it being some sick game like it usually sounded. Oh, this was bad. The Krimzon Guardsman reached out, running his finger down from Jak's throat all the way to his stomach, making the man on the table shudder and groan in a heightened state of pleasure. His body reacted immediately, his pants suddenly looking awfully tight, making even Torn feel uncomfortable. This was sick.

What he really wanted to do was retort with a smart remark, but he was wise enough to know when his life was in someone else's hands.

"I'll let the drugs sink in a bit more, then I'll have my fun with him," he sighed happily, then turned to Torn. "Now it's your turn. Ever had a high dose of GreEV before?" He seemed far too amused. "No, you're far too uptight for that, aren't you? You've probably never even tried _any_… Wise on your part." Erol said, prepping the syringe and liquid. "I'll let you in on a little secret: EcoVent didn't just pop up because of some accident, it was engineered specifically by yours truly." He flicked the syringe. Torn's stomach fell deeply. "We designed EcoVent to stimulate the nervous system, specifically brain functions, making the neurons in the brain susceptible to subliminal messaging." He said all of this as if it was nothing. "It was already in progress over three years ago, and right when our lovely Jak crash landed into our laps, we released the first batch of GreEV. It was such a success in terms of mental addiction, but we needed to target everyone, not just the weak, so we kept developing and using the other types of Eco. We found that certain types of Eco created different kinds of feelings and effects, and some were more addictive than others. Naturally," he chimed, prepping Torn's arm and the rebel commander felt his anxiety rising, a panic starting at the pit of his stomach and spreading through his limbs. "Our sign-ups skyrocketed, especially after we found more effective ways of spreading our advertisements with the kiosks around Haven City."

So that was it. It explained so much!

However, he didn't have time to reflect as he felt a nasty prick in his arm. "Ow!"

"Oops. Missed the vein," Erol said delightfully, smiling at him. He adjusted it, causing Torn to wince and hiss.

"Bastard!"

"Now, now. That's no way to talk to your dear old friend," he mocked, then injected the substance into him. "Now calm down. I can't have you interrupting my fun with Jak. Normally it comes in an inhalant, but I had this one made specifically for you so you could have a nice, strong dose."

It didn't feel too nice. It felt like his veins were freezing over and he began to feel drowsy. His whole body felt one hundred pounds heavier and his eyes wanted to close. He groaned, looking at Erol's pleased face, desperately trying to keep himself awake.

"You won't… get away… with…"

"Fast acting, isn't it?" The last thing he heard was Erol's laugh, and it climbed and climbed in volume, each bout more revolting than the next, and then he was out.

Erol turned his attention to Jak, who seemed to be enjoying himself, his eyes opening and closing as he weaved in and out of consciousness.

Now the real fun was about to begin.

"Hello, Jak." Erol purred as he moved to his pet and thumbed the straps on his favorite toy. The simple movements made Jak groan and squirm with need, and Erol was so very ready to oblige that need.

Yet, he'd have to wait further still. He was getting a call from the Baron. He growled.

"Don't move. I'll be back shortly." He laughed at his own private joke. As if either of them could move right now. And with that he left.

OOOOOOOO

Several hours passed before Erol was able to return, and when he came back, he was not pleased. Jak did not look good, and he was contorted to the side as much as the straps would permit, vomit dripping onto the floor from the table where Jak had heaved up his lunch.

"Tsk." Erol crossed his arms. The dose was obviously too high. How disgusting. Well, he was hardly in the mood anyways after having to deal with Baron Praxis rattling on about useless battle strategies that would never work, and the next wave of subliminal messaging, and raising taxes, etc. Blah, Blah, Blah. He called for the lab technicians.

"Clean this mess up, then throw them in their cells," he commanded, giving Jak a lingering look before taking his leave.

* * *

Scythe: Soooo, what did you think? There was a lot of information in this chapter, so I hope it didn't bore you to death. I actually had more planned, but what was supposed to be just the initial scene ended up drawing out other things and got so long I decided to break it up into two different chapters. Happy Christmahannukwazakuh (even though it's a little late). Please Review. I'm going to try and update weekly or biweekly at least, by the way. :D


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